Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says US sanctions will not stop Russia’s state arms trader from selling defensive weapons to Iran.

The US State Department announced on Thursday that it had taken punitive measures against 13 companies in China and Venezuela as well as the Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport for allegedly providing sensitive technology to Iran.

On Tuesday, the Russian president said in televised comments that the US decision was simply an attempt to sideline a successful competitor on the global arms market.

“We will continue to sell arms and military equipment exclusively to maintain the defense potential of our partners,” Medvedev affirmed.

Moscow has recently delivered 29 Russian-made Tor-M1 air defense missile systems under a $700 million contract signed in late 2005 and trained Iranian Tor-M1 specialists, including radar operators and crew commanders.

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A d v e r t i s e m e n t

The US sanctions ban any government body from doing business with the Russia company – which is known for selling defensive weapons to countries that the US considers its adversaries.

Warning that the White House had failed to fully consider the implications of taking such measures, President Medvedev said, “Whoever is responsible for the sanctions should know that we consider such actions as short-sighted.”